Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the routine visual checks for five per cent of movements of non-agricultural goods through the Green Lane into Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework will be in addition to intelligence-led and risk-based checks.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the necessity of routine visual checks for movements of non-agricultural goods through the Green Lane into Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework in addition to intelligence-led and risk-based checks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Trusted traders will face no routine physical checks on their goods moving in the green lane. The only physical checks completed will be risk-based and intelligence-led to target smuggling, criminality, abuse or specific risks to animal, plant or public health. For agrifood goods, we will also radically reduce the number of visual inspections done on consignments in the green lane - from 100 per cent now to 5 per cent by 2025.

Plants: UK Internal Trade

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether membership of the Plant Passport Scheme will be required for firms moving plants and trees within Great Britain, or only for those firms moving such items to Northern Ireland or the EU.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Under the Windsor Framework, plants moving to Northern Ireland will now move within the same plant passport regime as already applies for businesses moving plants and trees throughout Great Britain.

Syria: Politics and Government

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Initiative to Solve the Syrian Crisis published by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria on 18 April; and what discussions they intend to have with the parties involved in violence in Syria regarding the Initiative.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to review the Initiative to Solve the Syria Crisis, published by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) on 18 April, and we recognise the importance of all voices, including Kurdish voices being included in the political dialogue about the future of Syria. Most recently, UK Government officials discussed the importance of all parties working together towards a peaceful solution to the Syria conflict with representatives from the Syrian Democratic Forces on 19 April. Ultimately, tackling the challenges in northeast Syria and across the whole country, without a political solution will be extremely difficult.

Windsor Framework: Statutory Instruments

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of Statutory Instruments to implement the Windsor Framework they have yet to lay before Parliament.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Implementing the Framework expeditiously is essential to providing assurance and certainty as to what the Framework will mean in practice. At present, the Government has laid the Windsor Framework (Democratic Scrutiny) Regulations 2023 and The Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2023. The Government will continue to bring forward legislation to give effect to the Windsor Framework in a way that enables scrutiny by Parliament, and to engage with the scrutiny committees of Parliament in order to support their work.

Pets: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what interim arrangements will apply for the movement of pets between Great Britain and Northern Ireland until the Windsor Framework is implemented.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Windsor Framework ensures the smooth travel of pets between Northern Ireland and Great Britain without needless costs, health treatments or red tape. Pet owners do not need to take any immediate action because the current situation that we maintain unilaterally will continue. Further guidance on what pet owners will need to do will be provided in due course. We will consult and work with business over the coming months ahead of implementing any changes required by these arrangements.Under the Windsor Framework there are no documentary requirements whatsoever for Northern Irish pets moving to Great Britain and back to Northern Ireland. Pet owners in Great Britain will be able to travel with their pets without costs, burdens or health treatments. For pet owners visiting Northern Ireland from Great Britain, the only requirement will be to confirm that the pet is microchipped and will not move into the EU.

Azerbaijan: Sanctions

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to apply sanctions to Azerbaijan to ensure its compliance with the Minsk Process and the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government does not speculate on any future sanctions designations. With regard to Nagorno Karabakh, the UK Government has been clear that there is no military solution to the conflict and continues to work with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Governments to encourage them to engage in substantive negotiations to secure a sustainable and peaceful settlement.

Rached Ghannouchi

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government whatrepresentations, they have made to the government of Tunisia about the treatment of Mr Rached Ghannouchi, Head of the Ennahdha Party, and in particular about the imprisonment warrant issued against him.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We monitor the political and human rights situation in Tunisia closely. The UK Government has made its views clear, calling for space for legitimate political opposition, civil society and independent media in light of recent developments. On 18 April, the Minister of State for North Africa, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon made clear the UK's view that the recent wave of arrests, including of Rached Ghannouchi, and restrictions on political opposition in Tunisia are eroding the space for plurality, urging the Tunisian Government to respect the principles and values of an open and democratic society. Lord Ahmad also reiterated this message during his meeting with the Tunisian Chargé d'Affaires on 23 February. The UK is a constructive partner to Tunisia, and we will continue to raise these important issues with the Tunisian authorities at every available opportunity.

Afghanistan and Iran: Women

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address gender apartheid in Afghanistan and Iran; and what consideration they are giving to recognising gender apartheid as a crime under international criminal law.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation of women and girls in (1) Iran and (2) Afghanistan; and in each case what steps they are taking to coordinate international action on the issue.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government how many projects benefitting woman and girls are funded by the UK in (1) Iran and (2) Afghanistan; and in each case what assistance they provide.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In Afghanistan, the UK Government has repeatedly condemned the Taliban's decisions to restrict the rights of women and girls. Since April 2021, the Government has disbursed £532 million to Afghanistan, and committed that at least 50 per cent of those we reach with our aid are women and girls.In Iran, the UK Government supports women and girls standing up for fundamental rights, holding the Iranian regime to account. We raise human rights directly with the Iranian authorities. We work with international partners and NGOs. We supported a UN Fact Finding Mission and Iran's removal from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government from which countries the Heads of State have not been invited to attend His Majesty The King's Coronation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Invitations were issued to the Heads of State of all nations with whom the UK has full diplomatic relations, with a small number of exceptions. Realms and Overseas Territories also received invitations in line with their constitutional arrangements. Invitations were not issued to Afghanistan, Belarus, Myanmar, Russia, Syria, Iran and Venezuela. Invitations were issued at London Head of Mission level to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Nicaragua.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel in response to the death of a 15-year-old child and injuries to Palestinian civilians during a raid by Israeli forces on the Aqbat Jaber refugee camp near Jericho in occupied territory while searching for Palestinians accused of attacks against Israelis.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly raise the issue of the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. We encourage them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon also raised this point with the Israeli Government during his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) in January.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the government of Israel to protect the freedom of worship and property of Palestinian Muslims in occupied Hebron, in view of the closure of the Ibrahimi mosque to Muslims fortwo days for Jewish Passover activities during Ramadan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises issues of religious freedom with the Israeli Government. We continue to call on all sides to ensure those of all faiths in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories are able to practise their faiths in peace and security. We engage the Israeli authorities to ensure access to the holy sites for Palestinians across the OPTs. As set out in the House of Commons on 24 April by Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for Development and Africa, we welcome Israel's decision to prevent non-Muslims from visiting al-Aqsa mosque during the final days of Ramadan, which we regard as an important de-escalatory act.

Israel: Religious Freedom

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what actionthey are taking with international partners and the government of Israel to preserve the status quo of the Al-Aqsa compound and freedom of worship in occupied East Jerusalem, following the storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque and the restrictions placed on Muslims coming to worship there during Ramadan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 7 April, the UK condemns Israeli police violence at Al Aqsa Mosque. When Israeli security forces conduct operations, they must ensure they are proportionate and in accordance with international law. The UK is a strong supporter of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and calls for places of worship to be respected. We value the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan's custodianship of the holy sites in Jerusalem and urge all parties across the region to de-escalate tensions.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government how many claimants currently receiving Universal Credit are (1) self-employed, (2) employed, and (3) unemployed.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The total number of self-employed Universal Credit claimants in January 2023 was 493,300. This has been rounded to the nearest 100. The latest statistics published monthly on Stat-Xplore show that, from the 5.8 million people on Universal Credit in February 2023, 2.2 million were in employment and 3.6 million were not in employment.

Social Security Benefits

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask His Majesty's Government whatis the average amount paid to each individual for each passported benefit.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Passported benefits, such as free school meals and help with healthcare costs are owned and delivered by different departments across government and Local Authorities. This information would not be held by one single department, to get this information you would need to approach each department individually.

Social Security Benefits

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask His Majesty's Government whatwas the total annual value of passported benefits, for the most recent year for which figures are available, broken down by each passported benefit.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Passported benefits, such as free school meals and help with healthcare costs are owned and delivered by different departments across government and Local Authorities. This information would not be held by one single department, to get this information you would need to approach each department individually.

Department for Education

Teachers: Training

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government whatfunds are specifically allocated to, or are available for, the training of industry specialists to become teachers and further education lecturers.

Baroness Barran: For those starting initial teacher training (ITT) in the 2023/24 academic year, the department is offering bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000 to encourage talented trainees to apply to train in key subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics.The department is exploring new ways to recruit trainee teachers in subjects where there is a shortage. For example, we are introducing a new scholarship to attract the most talented language graduates to the profession.Alongside our financial levers, the department is continuing to invest in attracting the best teachers where they are needed most. For example, we have rolled out a new ITT course designed to support more engineers to teach physics. The department also awarded a contract of approximately £3 million to Now Teach in 2021 for the delivery of a National Career Changer Programme. Now Teach supports experienced professionals with significant previous employment and industry experience, who may not otherwise consider teaching, to transfer their skills to the classroom during ITT and their first year as an Early Career Teacher.Teachers in the further education (FE) sector are often ‘dual professionals’ who have valuable experience and expertise from industry and business. To support the recruitment of more such specialists into FE teaching roles, our flagship Taking Teaching Further Programme offers fully funded early career support, including a teacher training qualification, mentor support, and a reduced timetable in the first two years of teaching, worth up to £18,200 per trainee. In addition, the Taking Teaching Further Programme offer has been enhanced with the trialling of a new financial incentive, worth £6,000 per trainee, over two years, targeted at the most hard-to-fill vacancies. Backed by up to £15 million of investment across the next two years, 710 Taking Teaching Further places will be available, with up to half attracting the new financial incentive.Bursaries worth up to £29,000 each, tax-free, are available to those training to teach in a range of priority subjects in the FE sector, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Relevant professional experience is taken into account when assessing candidates’ eligibility for these bursaries, making them appropriate for people with industry expertise looking to retrain as teachers. The bursaries programme for the 2023/24 academic year is now open for applications.

Financial Services: Education

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 3 April (HL6647),what discussions they have had with(1) Barclays LifeSkills, (2) EVERFI, (3) HSBC, (4) Lloyds Banking Group, (5) NatWest MoneySense, (6) Santander Moneywise, and (7) other financial education providers, about improving financial education in the UK.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 3 April (HL6647), what steps theyare taking to provide financial education for those who leave school early.

Baroness Barran: The department has had conversations with a number of external organisations to understand what financial education programmes they deliver. This includes conversations with Barclays LifeSkills, Santander MoneyWise, the Just Finance Foundation, the Church of England, the Financial Times’ Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign, Young Enterprise and KickStart money.The department has not spoken to the other organisations included in this list, but does work closely with The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) and His Majesty’s Treasury to consider how we can support the teaching of financial education in schools. MaPS, as an arm’s length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, published their UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing in January 2020. This is a ten-year framework to help UK citizens to make the most of their money and pensions. One of the key themes of their strategy is to support the financial wellbeing of children and young people. Their national goal is to ensure that two million more children and young people receive a meaningful financial education by 2030.Education on financial matters throughout secondary school helps to ensure that pupils are prepared to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed. Children should receive age appropriate financial education as part of compulsory education, so that those who leave school early can benefit. Financial education forms part of the citizenship National Curriculum, at Key Stages 3 and 4, but can be taught by all schools at all Key Stages. The subject covers the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management, and managing financial risk. At secondary school, pupils are taught about income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings and pensions, financial products and services, and how public money is raised and spent.The mathematics curriculum includes a strong emphasis on the essential arithmetic that primary pupils should be taught. A strong grasp of mathematics will underpin pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, using percentages. The secondary mathematics curriculum develops pupils’ understanding in relation to more complex personal finance issues such as calculating loan repayments, interest rates and compound interest.MaPS has published financial education guidance for primary and secondary schools and we will deliver a series of webinars in due course. The MaPS guidance can be found attached.HL7353_HL7354_primary_guidance (pdf, 912.2KB)HL7353_HL7354_secondary_guidance (pdf, 824.1KB)

Special Educational Needs

Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan (CP 800) which states thatmost pupils going intoAP have a special educational need,what structure they expect to put in place for identifying what specific special educational needs individuals pupils have; and in what timeframe.

Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan (CP 800) which states that most pupils going into AP have a special educational need, what additional continuous professional development will be provided to teachers in the sector to deal with the most common conditions.

Baroness Barran: This government supports Alternative Provision (AP) schools to use their specialist skills and experience to asses the special educational needs of individual pupils referred to them. The department would expect such assessments to be made quickly but, given the variability in individual need, the department believes it would not be appropriate to set a single timeframe for this assessment.As set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and AP Improvement Plan, published in March, it is the department’s intention that AP schools will work closely in partnership with mainstream settings to provide high-quality, targeted support and one-to-one interventions. This will build capacity in mainstream schools to identify and support needs early, reducing the numbers of preventable exclusions and expensive long-term placements, and leading to improvements in children’s wellbeing and outcomes.The department will invest in the workforce across education, health and care to build the capacity of the specialist workforce and to improve confidence and expertise in supporting children and young people with SEND promptly and effectively.The department is implementing high-quality teacher training reforms which begin with initial teacher training and continues into early career teaching, through to middle and senior leadership. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND and in AP schools.

Special Educational Needs: Employment Schemes

Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government where an individual adult who has been identified with a special educational need caused by a recognised disability, or a parent or guardian of such an individual, can find information about the process of transferring from education into work.

Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they haveto ensure that those with an identified special educational need receive careers guidance, from the point of identification, that explains how to access government-provided workplace support for those special educational needs and disabilities throughout their adult working lives.

Baroness Barran: The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with good opportunities that allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.On 2 March 2023, the department published the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. This outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children and young people’s potential, build parents’ trust and provide financial sustainability.The department committed to developing good practice guidance to support consistent, timely, high-quality transitions for children and young people with SEND and in AP. This will ultimately look at transitions between all stages of education from early years and will focus initially on transitions into and out of post-16 settings, including into employment.We are also supporting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to develop and pilot an Adjustments Passport that will help to smooth the transition into employment and support people changing jobs. The Adjustments Passport will capture the in-work support needs of the individual and the pilots will establish whether the passport can reduce the need for assessments where needs remain the same. This will empower the passport holder to have a more confident conversation with potential employers about workplace adjustments.Schools and colleges are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, addressing the individual needs of each pupil, and seeking to raise the career aspirations of students with SEND. A new £2.6 million careers programme will deliver targeted, age-appropriate careers support in over 2,200 primary schools, to encourage children to think about future jobs, raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes, including those about people with disabilities.To ensure children and young people with SEND are aware of their options, careers guidance for pupils with SEND should take account of the full range of relevant education, training and employment opportunities, such as traineeships and apprenticeships, supported internships or routes into higher education.For those with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, there must be a specific focus from Year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood, including employment, as part of their EHC plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.The National Careers Service offers free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It helps people realise their full potential and supports social mobility by working with individuals to motivate them and develop their understanding of the full range of options open to them, whatever their background or circumstances. There's more information available at: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/.DWP is running a series of programmes to support learning disabled people into employment, including the Work and Health Programme, Intensive Personalised Employment Support and Local Supported Employment. They are also working with employers via Disability Confident to increase their capacity to recruit, retain and support learning disabled employees.Furthermore, Access to Work is a demand led, discretionary DWP grant that supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in sustainable, paid employment.The grant provides personalised support, including workplace assessments, travel to and in work, support workers, specialist aids and equipment including vehicle adaptations to enable disabled people and those with a health condition, to move into or retain employment. AtW can fund up to £66,000 worth of flexible, personalised support per person per year.

Ministry of Defence

Future Combat Air System

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is aMinistry of Defence staff requirement for the Tempest supersonic stealth fighter; and if so, how many are in that requirement.

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether theTempest supersonic stealth fighter is a replacement for the F35 as well as for the Typhoon.

Baroness Goldie: The UK capability to deliver 'Control of the Air' beyond Typhoon out of service date has been described in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Concept of Employment and supporting documents. This requirement describes an integrated system of systems, in which the core platform is currently referred to as Tempest. Analysis is ongoing to determine specific quantities of platforms needed to satisfy the UK defence needs. This includes crewed and uncrewed collaborative platforms.In line with the Integrated Review, we are continuing to develop Future Combat Air System (FCAS) as a replacement for the capabilities provided by our Typhoon aircraft. Advances in technology mean it is being designed to deliver an even larger range and depth of capabilities than current platforms to address emerging threats, including greater networked interoperability with uncrewed aircraft and F-35. FCAS will therefore replace the UK Typhoon roles and will complement the F35 fleet but not replace it.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Shipping

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the status of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships Wave Knight and Wave Ruler.

Baroness Goldie: Both Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler are currently in Extended Readiness (ER) until 2028 in His Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth and Liverpool respectively, under the care and custody of RFA Cluster management.RFA Cluster management are providing care and maintenance to ensure the ships remain within Lloyds Register classification requirements and can be regenerated at some point in the future if required.

Type 23 Frigates: Decommissioning

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to decommission further Type 23 frigates before 2027.

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to have more than 13 frigates in the Royal Navy.

Baroness Goldie: On current plans, the last Type 23 frigate will transition out of service in 2035.To avoid compromising operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose individual out of service dates for warships or reveal elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule. However, the Royal Navy continues to ensure that it has sufficient assets available to deliver operational outputs.We expect to have 13 new frigates, eight Type 26 and five Type 31, in service by the early 2030s. Plans for the Type 32 Frigate continue to be developed.

USA: Intelligence Services

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to limit the sharing of British intelligence information with the United States following the reported leak of intelligence material by a 21 year old reservist.

Baroness Goldie: The UK commends the swift action taken by the US law enforcement to investigate and respond to the unauthorised disclosure of classified documents, including the arrest and charging of a suspect. The US remains the UK's most important ally and partner and the depth of the UK's relationship with the US remains an absolutely essential pillar of our security.

USA: Intelligence Services

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States regarding the reported leak of intelligence material by a 21 year old reservist.

Baroness Goldie: The Defence Secretary regularly speaks to the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. They spoke about this issue on 12 April and met again during the Defence Secretary's pre-planned visit to Washington on 17 April. The UK commends the swift action taken by US law enforcement to investigate and respond to the unauthorised disclosure of classified documents, including the arrest and charging of a suspect. The US remains the UK's most important ally and partner and the depth of the UK's relationship with the US remains an absolutely essential pillar of our security.

Department of Health and Social Care

Gender Identity Development Service: Children and Young people

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to restrict staff implicated in criticism of the Gender Identity Development Service from taking up positions at the new regional centres for gender identity services for children and young people.

Lord Markham: The Department has been clear that the interim services must fully reflect the recommendations from the Cass Review, which differ significantly to the services currently provided at Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. NHS England will continue to work closely with providers to oversee the development of services. The new services are building multi-disciplinary teams of specialists to provide care to the children and young people referred to these services. This is in line with the Cass Review’s recommended approach, however, they will need to include expertise in treating gender dysphoria in children, alongside other clinical disciplines, of which there is nationally a small pool of specialists. The transformation programme aims to ensure the new teams have the relevant expertise needed to deliver the service. Any staff that move from the Gender Identity Development Service to the new services will be fully signed up to the new clinical model set out by Dr Cass.

Department for Business and Trade

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Financial Services

Lord Jopling: To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions were included in the recent negotiations on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership to improve free trade arrangements in the financial services sector; and whether this was part of His Majesty's Government's negotiating position.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The high standard Financial Services chapter in CPTPP opens financial service markets between members, expanding opportunities for UK financial services and easing frictions to cross-border trade and investment. Joining will open up new markets to UK firms, including improved commitments which reduce red tape and cut costs. At the same time, CPTPP members retain the ability to regulate financial markets and institutions for legitimate public policy purposes.The Financial Services chapter was one of the core market access areas considered during the UK’s negotiations to accede to CPTPP. The full treaty text will be laid before Parliament following legal review.

Import Duties

Lord Kamall: To ask His Majesty's Government what is theirjustificationof thelevy of import tariffs on goods and produce that are not produced by UK manufacturers and producers.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The UK Global Tariff (UKGT) applies when exceptions, such as preferential treatment under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or the Generalised Scheme of Preferences, do not apply.In designing the UKGT, the Government balanced the interests of UK producers and consumers, and strategic trade objectives such as its FTA agenda and its commitment to developing countries to reduce poverty through trade. For example, tariffs on certain goods have been retained to maintain preferential access for developing countries.As with all policy, we welcome feedback which can be submitted using the feedback form available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk

Ministry of Justice

Juries: Mental Health Services

Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), what options are being considered to properly support jurors adversely affected by sitting on a jury.

Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), how long the consideration of options to properly support jurors adversely affected by sitting on a jury will take.

Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), which stakeholders and other participants in criminal trials they are consulting on the options to offer better support to those taking part in such criminal trials.

Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), what research they have commissioned on the psychological effects on jurors of their jury service.

Lord Bellamy: Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to undertake and we greatly value the contribution of jurors to the criminal justice system. We are currently looking at what more can be done to support jurors who may find their service distressing. Part of this work is to better understand the issue, including potentially commissioning research, so that we can identify how that need could be most appropriately met. Officials are working with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and will consult as necessary with other stakeholders such as the judiciary on this matter. The Government is not yet in a position to indicate a definite timetable for this work.In addition to this work, we are drawing up guidance to assist any courts that are looking to offer additional support to a jury panel, to ensure that whatever support is offered is appropriate and as consistent as possible across England and Wales. This guidance should be available by the summer.

Treasury

Social Security Benefits: Taxation

Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government which (1) socialsecurity, and (2) other taxpayer-funded benefits, are (a) taxable, and (b) tax-free.

Baroness Penn: The long-standing tax treatment of social security benefits is based on how each type of payment would otherwise be treated in income tax legislation. Whether a benefit is taxable or exempt from income tax is set out in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA). The position for the most common UK state benefits is summarised online at gov.uk[1]. The most common taxable State benefits include Bereavement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, contribution- based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Incapacity Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), pensions paid by the Industrial Death Benefit scheme, the State Pensions, and Widowed Parent’s Allowance. For an extensive list of taxable UK benefits please refer to section 660[2] ITEPA. The most common tax-exempt state benefits include Attendance Allowance, Bereavement support payment, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Guardian’s Allowance, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Industrial Injuries Benefit, Maternity Allowance, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Severe Disability Allowance, Universal Credit, War Widow’s Pension, Winter Fuel Payments, and Working Tax Credit. An extensive list of UK social security benefits wholly exempt from income tax can be found at section 677[3] ITEPA. [1] www.gov.uk/income-tax/taxfree-and-taxable-state-benefits[2] Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)[3] Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Dobbs: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total cost to the economy to date of COVID-19-related lockdowns.

Baroness Penn: The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the UK economy. Between 2019 Q4 and 2020 Q2, according to the Office for National Statistics the economy contracted by 23% - the steepest recession on record. The success of the UK’s vaccination campaign lead to a strong recovery in GDP, with annual growth of 7.5% in 2021 and 4.1% in 2022. In both these years, GDP growth in the UK was the fastest in the G7. The Government acted quickly to prevent catastrophic increases in unemployment during the pandemic. The Government provided up to £400 billion of direct support for the economy which helped to safeguard jobs, businesses and public services in every region and nation of the UK. The Treasury is engaging constructively with the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, which plans to examine the Government’s responses to the pandemic.

Duty Free Allowances: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Penn on 12 April (HL7072), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, what is the reason why passengers flying from Belfast to EU countries are not able to purchase duty free goods in the same way as the rest of the UK.

Baroness Penn: The government is committed to preserving the frictionless movement of people and goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland, which is important to communities across Northern Ireland and would otherwise undermine the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.Enabling duty-free shopping between Ireland, which is a member of the EU, and Northern Ireland without also introducing border controls would lead to significant distortions of trade on the island of Ireland. It would also cause a significant revenue loss for both UK and Ireland by creating a legal route for unlimited amounts of alcohol and tobacco to flow into the UK market duty-free.

Department for Transport

Large Goods Vehicles: Testing

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase (1) the flexibility of working practices, and (2) the capacity, of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency testing within the road haulage sector to increase efficiency.

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have tomaximise efficiency within the road haulage sector by (1)transferring part of the HGV testing process to the private sector, and (2) allowing the (a) Department for Transport, and (b) Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, to oversee the standards of testing as they do for the car and light van MOT testing system.

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of HGVs currently operating without a valid MOT.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) services the industry through the provision of vehicle testing, known as the MOT. To ensure demand is met, and provide flexibility, the DVSA continues to increase the number of testing staff, open new Authorised Test Facilities, and improve its processes and systems. In 2021, the Department for Transport conducted a review of Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) testing. The review, which was published the same year, concluded HGV testing should continue to be delivered as is, which provides independent assurance to ensure vehicles are maintained correctly, and safety is not compromised. There are no current plans to change the way HGVs are tested. The DVSA estimates that at any time there could be around one in twenty of British HGVs operating on Great Britain’s roads that are operating without a valid MOT. The DVSA takes this matter very seriously, and targets its on-road enforcement towards such vehicles. Any vehicle found not to have a valid MOT is referred to the Traffic Commissioners, who have the powers to take action against the license of the vehicle operator.

Department for Transport: Correspondence

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter fromLord Berkeley to the former Secretary of State for Transport on 16 August 2022 regarding geotechnical risks relating to HS2, why they took eight months to respond to that letter; and what steps they will take to respond in a more timely manner to future correspondence.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: I apologise for the delay in responding to your previous correspondence. An interim response was sent to you whilst answers were sought to the technical points raised in your correspondence. The Department will ensure that future correspondence will be responded to promptly.

Merchant Shipping: Carbon Emissions

Baroness Parminter: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the decision to postpone until 2025 the requirement on ship operators to report their carbon dioxide emissions fulfils the Government’s obligations under the Merchant Shipping (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Carbon Dioxide Emissions) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In 2021, the UK delayed the implementation of the UK MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of Emissions) regime, to allow time to establish a new UK digital system for reporting maritime CO2 emissions data. Since January 2022, ship operators have been required to collect and verify their emissions data, to be reported once the new system is operational.

Shipping: Carbon Emissions

Baroness Parminter: To ask His Majesty's Government what their success criteria are for reaching agreement on reducing the UK’s international shipping emissions in line with Net Zero at the July 2023 meeting of the International Maritime Organisation’s Marine Environment Protection Committee.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK is committed to building consensus to ensure international shipping keeps pace with the Paris goal of 1.5°C degrees and is championing a 2050 target of zero emissions. While we cannot provide specific comment on success criteria during ongoing negotiations, the UK is working to ensure the Marine Environment Protection Committee agrees a strengthened revision of the 2018 IMO greenhouse gas reduction strategy this July.

Aviation: Fuels

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to requireairports to use fuel blended with sustainable aviation fuel as legislated for in the EU; and what sustainable fuel targets they are considering.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has set out its vision to establish the UK as a global leader in the development, production and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. This is why it has committed to introducing a Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate equivalent to at least 10% (around 1.5 billion litres) of jet fuel to be made from sustainable sources by 2030. The Government recently published its second consultation on this mandate, in which it proposes to set targets that increase from 2025 to 2040, providing 15 years of certainty for the industry. In the consultation, the Government is seeking views on a range of trajectories that reach between 17% and 32% by 2040.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water: Sustainable Development

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are participating in the Freshwater Challenge launched at the UN Water Conference on 23 March; and if not, why.

Lord Benyon: The Government is committed to raising ambition on the environment internationally and at CBD COP15 the UK was at the forefront of efforts to secure an ambitious agreement to protect 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030, including through the conservation and restoration of freshwater habitats. Domestically, in our Plan for Water, we reaffirmed our 25 Year Environment Plan and Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 commitment to ensuring at least 75% of our waters are close to their natural state as soon as is practicable. We set out a clear strategy to tackle both water quality and water use – including more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on those who pollute. We were recently made aware of the Freshwater Challenge and the Government is carefully considering any potential role the UK could play in supporting the initiative.